Modular lighting system

Abstract

A modular lighting system comprises at least one module comprising a rail elongated longitudinally along an axis where one or more lighting elements are placed and mounted reversibly onto the rail by magnetic coupling, drawing power from a printed circuit board on the rail by means of spring contacts.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A modular lighting system comprising:
 a rail elongated longitudinally along an axis where one or more lighting elements are placed and mounted on the rail by means of magnetic coupling; 
 a pin having a longitudinal pin axis; 
 wherein a joint comprises a first body having a first longitudinal axis and a second body having a second longitudinal axis joined to each other by the pin; 
 wherein the first longitudinal axis of the first body and the second longitudinal axis of the second body is separated from each other by the pin along the longitudinal pin axis, the pin being configured to allow the first and second bodies to rotate in relation to each other around a rotation axis defined by the pin; 
 wherein each body has a seat shaped so as to receive one longitudinal end of the rail, which is insertable into the seat with at least two directions that are orthogonal to each other; 
 wherein the rail comprises a first number of sides and the seat comprises a second number of sides; and 
 wherein the one or more lighting elements are mountable on any of the first number of sides of the rail when the one longitudinal end of the rail is received in the seat. 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein axial ends of the pin comprise a first planar end and a second planar end, the first planar end contacting the first body and not contacting the second body. 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 2 , wherein an entire surface of the first planar end contacts the first body and an entire surface of the second planar end contacts the second body. 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more lighting elements being mountable on any of the first number of sides of the rail when the one longitudinal end of the rail is received in the seat allows the one or more lighting elements mounted on a single side of the rail to be directed in any of an upwards, downwards, left, or right direction when the one longitudinal end of the rail is received in the seat. 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first body and the second body are configured to rotate around the rotation axis defined by the pin irrespective of the other. 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the rail comprises a first square cross section and the seat comprises a second square cross section, wherein the first square cross section of the rail and the second square cross section of the seat allow the rail to be received in the seat in one of four different directions. 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the rail is internally hollow and presents a longitudinal channel having a front longitudinal aperture and a back wall opposite the aperture. 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 7 , further comprising a printed circuit board being arranged along the whole rail on said back wall and being connected, at opposite longitudinal ends of the rail, to respective terminals. 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 8 , wherein each lighting element comprises:
 a connection portion, which can be inserted into the channel of the rail through the aperture and which remains, in use, housed in the channel; and 
 a lighting portion, which extends from the connection portion and protrudes, in use, outside the channel. 
 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 8 , wherein a connection portion carries electrical contacts cooperating with the printed circuit board of the rail to supply a lighting element, and the magnets for mechanical coupling of the lighting element to the rail. 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein a lighting element is provided with spring contacts protruding from a connection portion of the lighting element to contact the conductor tracks of the printed circuit board; and magnets, placed in the connection portion to attract a magnetic material under the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotation axis of the joint is perpendicular to the axes of the rail inserted into the seat. 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 1 , comprising accessory elements mounted onto the rails, with magnetic coupling and integrated electrical connection by means of the printed circuit board, the accessory elements comprising at least one of a power supply, one or more sensors, control and interface elements, or wireless connection elements. 
     
     
       14. A modular lighting system comprising:
 a rail elongated longitudinally along an axis where one or more lighting elements are placed and mounted on the rail via a coupling; 
 wherein a joint joins at least two rails and comprises two bodies joined to each other by a pin, the pin completely separating the two bodies along a longitudinal axis of the pin, wherein the two bodies are configured to rotate around a rotation axis defined by the pin, the bodies of each joint being arranged at opposite axial ends of the pin along the rotation axis; 
 wherein each body has a seat shaped so as to receive a longitudinal end of the rail; 
 wherein the rail comprises a first number of sides and a first square cross section and the seat comprises a second number of sides and a second square cross section; and 
 wherein the one or more lighting elements are mountable on any of the first number of sides of the rail when the one longitudinal end of the rail is received in the seat. 
 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the axial ends of the pin comprise a first planar end and a second planar end, the first planar end contacting a first body of the two bodies and not a second body of the two bodies. 
     
     
       16. The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the first square cross section of the rail and the second square cross section of the seat allow the rail to be received in the seat in one of four different directions. 
     
     
       17. The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the rail is internally hollow and presents a longitudinal channel having a front longitudinal aperture and a back wall opposite the aperture. 
     
     
       18. The system according to  claim 17 , further comprising a printed circuit board being arranged along the whole rail on said back wall and being connected, at opposite longitudinal ends of the rail, to respective terminals. 
     
     
       19. The system according to  claim 18 , wherein each lighting element comprises:
 a connection portion which can be inserted into the channel of the rail through the aperture and which remains, in use, housed in the channel; and 
 a lighting portion which extends from the connection portion and protrudes, in use, outside the channel. 
 
     
     
       20. The system according to  claim 14 , comprising accessory elements mounted onto the rails, with magnetic coupling and integrated electrical connection by means of the printed circuit board, the accessory elements comprising at least one of a power supply, one or more sensors, control and interface elements, or wireless connection elements.